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Delta*RandyShugart*

Basic HazMat Techinician

Last week were the first 2 classes, 6:30-10:30 with a few ten minute breaks here and there = which is smart, because even in a 2 hr lecture its a smart idea, it gets everyone a chance to stand up, hit the head, etc so you don't have as many people falling asleep.

Anyways, holy crow there is a lot of stuff, its just not stuff, its some chemistry mixed in, its the 9 classes of what the DOT regulates from Explosives to Poisons, which radioactive materials mixed in and flammable gases and solids, and then there are those that maybe shipped under non-explosive but are in fact explosive, or even the cryogenic products which will literally freeze you standing up if there is a problem, literally u will freeze standing up, or freeze against the pavement or a wall, dying no less by asphyxiation.

Then there's toxicology which i've been reading and studying, and then there is the good ol' HazMat Manegerial supervisor type stuff which coordinates with local authorities and the Incident Commander (IC), and so on. Plus you can't leave out the Decon Leader, because if you get some nasty stuff on your suit as the Entry leader, leading in the Entry Team you will want to be cleaned off and safe to go home and safe to everyone around you, and after that if you bring someone out who is exposed you have to make sure to quarantine them in the hot zone and not let them go into the decon zone before being examined, because lets face it, you don't want one rotten egg end up killing people. And I haven't even scratched the service in regards to fighting a fire with toxins, or corrosives etc.

I am enjoying the class thought, i find it amazing that there are so many different kinds of chemicals and stuff which has been created and transported and most of it is severely toxic.

Next week I think I'll be putting on a Level A Suit, over my Bunker Gear and over the SCBA, I'm willing to be I'll be shedding a few pounds during that night.